Best cities for a museum director
The best cities for museum directors are San Jose, CA, Oakland, CA, and San Francisco, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for museum directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for museum directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a museum director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for museum directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for museum directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a museum director. While the absolute best city for museum directors is San Jose, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for museum directors in 2024.
If you're looking for a museum director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for museum directors in 2025
1. San Jose, CA
Total museum director jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $124,448 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location quotient: 0.00 2. Oakland, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $124,925 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $200,000 Location quotient: 0.00 3. San Francisco, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $125,205 Lowest 10 percent warn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $200,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Fremont, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $124,584 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Stockton, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $123,571 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Sacramento, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $123,462 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Los Angeles, CA
Total museum director jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $119,584 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Fresno, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $121,817 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Long Beach, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $119,134 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $194,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Bakersfield, CA
Total museum director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $120,845 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Best cities for museum directors
- San Jose, CA
- Oakland, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
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Detailed list of the best cities for a museum director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $124,448 | $77,000 | 1,025,350 | 4 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $124,925 | $77,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $125,205 | $78,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $124,584 | $77,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 5 | Stockton, CA | $123,571 | $76,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $123,462 | $76,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $119,584 | $73,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $121,817 | $75,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 9 | Long Beach, CA | $119,134 | $72,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 10 | Bakersfield, CA | $120,845 | $74,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 11 | Anaheim, CA | $118,873 | $72,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 12 | Santa Ana, CA | $118,757 | $72,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 13 | Anchorage, AK | $104,075 | $73,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 14 | Irvine, CA | $118,598 | $72,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 15 | Riverside, CA | $118,321 | $72,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 16 | Toledo, OH | $82,541 | $51,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $117,772 | $71,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 18 | Chula Vista, CA | $117,729 | $71,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | $92,510 | $55,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 20 | Tucson, AZ | $87,250 | $51,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 21 | Henderson, NV | $92,434 | $55,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 22 | Reno, NV | $94,747 | $58,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 23 | North Las Vegas, NV | $92,201 | $55,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 24 | Chandler, AZ | $87,202 | $51,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 25 | Gilbert, AZ | $87,144 | $51,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 26 | Cleveland, OH | $84,344 | $52,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 27 | El Paso, TX | $87,103 | $50,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 28 | Mesa, AZ | $87,052 | $51,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 29 | Scottsdale, AZ | $86,868 | $51,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 30 | Milwaukee, WI | $80,617 | $51,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 31 | Portland, OR | $94,547 | $60,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 32 | Glendale, AZ | $87,220 | $52,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 33 | Columbus, OH | $80,074 | $48,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 34 | Phoenix, AZ | $87,129 | $52,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 35 | Laredo, TX | $82,734 | $46,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 36 | San Antonio, TX | $82,385 | $46,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 37 | Lexington, KY | $77,625 | $46,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 38 | Cincinnati, OH | $76,396 | $46,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 39 | Nashville, TN | $75,840 | $43,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 40 | Fort Wayne, IN | $80,086 | $49,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 41 | Corpus Christi, TX | $81,626 | $45,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 42 | Austin, TX | $81,538 | $45,000 | 947,890 | - |
| 43 | Lubbock, TX | $81,326 | $46,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 44 | Louisville, KY | $76,995 | $45,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 45 | Madison, WI | $79,417 | $50,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 46 | Indianapolis, IN | $76,490 | $46,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 47 | Oklahoma City, OK | $76,412 | $44,000 | 638,367 | 2 |
| 48 | Houston, TX | $79,884 | $44,000 | 2,303,482 | - |
| 49 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,320 | $48,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 50 | Virginia Beach, VA | $89,599 | $53,000 | 452,602 | - |
Highest paying cities for museum directors
| Rank | City | Avg. museum director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $124,448 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $94,547 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $82,471 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $81,322 |
| 5 | Springfield, OH | $79,016 |
| 6 | Harrisburg, PA | $76,923 |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $75,592 |
| 8 | LaGrange, GA | $72,803 |
| 9 | Manhattan, KS | $72,237 |
| 10 | Dearborn, MI | $65,460 |
| 11 | Little Rock, AR | $64,008 |
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Updated January 8, 2025